For the last 9 Sundays at Mars Hill Bellevue we’ve had at least 1 person get baptized, some of which I’ve had the privilege of being in the tub for.  Absolutely beautiful stuff.  Too beautiful not to share.

I’ve spent the last hour or so thinking about what I wanted to be doing when I turned 30.

I considered running down to Lake Washington and jumping in.  That would certainly be memorable, as the current temperature is 39 degrees.

I thought about getting one last work out in, but a combination of thoughts (“That seems really vain” and “That’s probably not going to make a difference”) led me to veto the notion.

So here I am with a simple goal:  I have 20 minutes to list 20 memorable things from my twenties.  If all goes according to plan, when I click “publish” the clock with say “12:00″ exactly.

Ready….Go.

1. I fell in love with the Bible.
2. I went deep sea fishing with my dad and my brother.
3. I backpacked across Scotland with my bride.
4. I hurt a lot of people, sought forgiveness from a lot of people, and received forgiveness from a lot of people…even myself.
5. I played with Jamal Crawford and Nate Robinson in a Seattle Summer Pro-League game. (There’s video proof out there somewhere.)
6. I tricked Emilie Vallerand into becoming Emilie McCormack.  (Biggest win of my life.)
7. I heard doctors tell my pregnant wife she’d never meet her child…twice.   Then welcomed a beautiful, healthy boy into the world…twice.
8. I watched God take a small bible study of 12 students, and turn it into a family of over 300.
9. I experienced the joy of realizing you really believe the things you say you believe…in the midst of suffering.
10. I watched a high school senior girl believe the Gospel enough to confess her sins to several hundred of her peers at once, and witnessed the revival that resulted.
11. I listened to “Jesus Died in Our Place” by Mark Driscoll, “Jesus + Nothing = Everything” by Tullian Tchividjian, and “Are There Two Wills in God” by Matt Chandler at least 20 times each.
12. I stood next to my brother, and my brother-in-law on their respective wedding days.  Honored.
13. I attended the midnight premiere of High School Musical 3.
14. I embarrassed myself in front of good friends by losing my composure while meeting one of my childhood heroes, Warren Moon.
15. I realized that it’s not just a phase; 14 years later, I still can’t get over this Jesus who saved me.
16. I concluded that my father is the best man I’ve ever known or will ever know, and no one displays the reckless, faithful love of Jesus better than my mother.
17. I started to realize just how broken I am, and just how loved I am in the midst of that brokenness.
18. I started writing nearly a dozen books…and finished none of them.
19. I learned that if you are rich in relationships, you are rich indeed.
20. I realized that my Jesus will always be bigger than I think he is, and that is very, very good news.

The clock now says “12:18.” (Nearly doubled my 20 minute limit.)

My 30′s have officially begun.

And already the trend continues; I deserve nothing, yet he insists on giving me much.

Grace on top of grace, on top of grace.

That’s what it’s all about.

That’s what it will always be about.

Click on the player above, then scroll down to “OTR on 8/23.”

Take a few minutes to check out the video.  The lyrics are STRONG.

Proud of my friend, excited for my Gospel.

Big things ahead.  Believe it.

Back in May I wrote a blog about a sermon I heard from Tullian Tchividjian called “Jesus + Nothing = Everything,” and shared how it had a profound impact me to say the very least.  Needless to say, I was thrilled when I recently saw that Pastor Tullian has a book of the same name coming out in October.  I just pre-ordered it on Amazon, (which you can do by clicking the picture of the book cover above), and realized this might be the first time I’ve ever bought a book before its release.  (Months before its release in this case.)

This was a no-brainer for me, though.  Many of the themes from Tullian’s sermon were central to my preaching as I travelled this summer, especially the call to rest in the truth of the Gospel.

I don’t often recommend people buy books I haven’t read yet, but join me in picking this one up.

I can assure you we won’t regret it.

*In the mean time, listen to Pastor Tullian’s sermon.

When she got home, I asked her how it went.

Her response: “I think it was the most meaningful music experience of my life.”

Wishing I could have been there with her, but still thankful for this glimpse of John’s authentic passion and profound gifting.

Though the Earth Cried out for blood
Satisfied her hunger was
Her billows calmed on raging seas
for the souls on men she craved

Sun and moon from balcony
Turned their head in disbelief
Their precious Love would taste the sting
disfigured and disdained

On Friday a thief
On Sunday a King
Laid down in grief
But awoke with keys
Of Hell on that day
The first born of the slain
The Man Jesus Christ
Laid death in his grave

So three days in darkness slept
The Morning Sun of righteousness
But rose to shame the throes of death
And over turn his rule

Now daughters and the sons of men
Would pay not their dues again
The debt of blood they owed was rent
When the day rolled a new

On Friday a thief
On Sunday a King
Laid down in grief
But awoke holding keys
To Hell on that day
The first born of the slain
The Man Jesus Christ
Laid death in his grave

On Friday a thief
On Sunday a King
Laid down in grief
But awoke with keys
Of Hell on that day
The first born of the slain
The Man Jesus Christ
Laid death in his grave

He has cheated
Hell and seated
Us above the fall
In desperate places
He paid our wages
One time once and for all

If only…